'Diet' is 4 letter word - here's a better way

Tuesday

Apr 29, 2014 at 11:15 AMApr 29, 2014 at 2:28 PM

People go on “diets” all the time. These are periods of time, marked by a beginning, middle, and end. They often start on a Monday. Or maybe after the New Years holiday. I resolve to lose 10 pounds, the thinking typically goes.

This process is a roller coaster of binging, followed by deprivation, then maintenance, and restarting with binging again. This process is an emotional roller coaster as well. It starts with negative feelings about oneself. Followed by feeling unfulfilled. Then limited satisfaction. And when the “diet” eventually fails, which they always do, you feel even more terrible.

It's time to get off that roller coaster and choose a better path. Replace “diet” with being “healthy”. Say to yourself “I deserve to be healthy.” “I deserve to take care of myself.” “My health is important to me and I need to be healthy for my loved ones.” Note that at no point did I type, “I want to lose 10 pounds.” If you start taking care of your health, your weight will take care of itself.

What changes can you make to achieve health? It is about your entire lifestyle. Learning to be happy in the moment, to let go of stress, to take pleasure in the small things of life. At FitMe Wellness, we always say that we simply need to start moving more and eating better. Note, we are not telling our clients to become vegans or run marathons. Incremental steps are key to success. Take joy in making then reaching small, reasonable goals.

It really is not hard and it really does not involve any fad diets or exercises. Just start moving more and sitting less. Start eating real, healthy food, not processed food or powered supplements. Think portion control in lieu of deprivation. You are in control of your health. Take ownership of it. Remember, move more and eat better.

Our certified wellness coach, Karla Johnson, has spoken at lengths about this topic. Watch this interview Karla did last week on our YouTube channel to hear a little more about this very important issue.

Greg Georgis is the Owner/Founder of FitMe Wellness, a health club offering a holistic approach to health, fitness and wellness. In addition to state-of-the art fitness equipment, group classes and private training, FitMe Wellness provides a variety of nutritional and wellness counseling opportunities to its members so they have the tools they need to reach long-term health goals.

People go on “diets” all the time. These are periods of time, marked by a beginning, middle, and end. They often start on a Monday. Or maybe after the New Years holiday. I resolve to lose 10 pounds, the thinking typically goes.

This process is a roller coaster of binging, followed by deprivation, then maintenance, and restarting with binging again. This process is an emotional roller coaster as well. It starts with negative feelings about oneself. Followed by feeling unfulfilled. Then limited satisfaction. And when the “diet” eventually fails, which they always do, you feel even more terrible.

It's time to get off that roller coaster and choose a better path. Replace “diet” with being “healthy”. Say to yourself “I deserve to be healthy.” “I deserve to take care of myself.” “My health is important to me and I need to be healthy for my loved ones.” Note that at no point did I type, “I want to lose 10 pounds.” If you start taking care of your health, your weight will take care of itself.

What changes can you make to achieve health? It is about your entire lifestyle. Learning to be happy in the moment, to let go of stress, to take pleasure in the small things of life. At FitMe Wellness, we always say that we simply need to start moving more and eating better. Note, we are not telling our clients to become vegans or run marathons. Incremental steps are key to success. Take joy in making then reaching small, reasonable goals.

It really is not hard and it really does not involve any fad diets or exercises. Just start moving more and sitting less. Start eating real, healthy food, not processed food or powered supplements. Think portion control in lieu of deprivation. You are in control of your health. Take ownership of it. Remember, move more and eat better.

Our certified wellness coach, Karla Johnson, has spoken at lengths about this topic. Watch this interview Karla did last week on our YouTube channel to hear a little more about this very important issue.

Greg Georgis is the Owner/Founder of FitMe Wellness, a health club offering a holistic approach to health, fitness and wellness. In addition to state-of-the art fitness equipment, group classes and private training, FitMe Wellness provides a variety of nutritional and wellness counseling opportunities to its members so they have the tools they need to reach long-term health goals.